Electrically-operated balancing mechanism for aeroplanes.



R. L. MONROE. BLEGTRIGALLY OPBRATBD BALANGING MBGHANISM FOR AEROPLANBS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1911.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

Mmm/mm,

33M @EM R. L. MONROE. BLEGTBICALLY OPBRATED BALANGING MECHANISM FOR ABROPLANBS.

APPLICATION PI'LED JAN.25. 1911.

v Patented Dec. 17,1912.

. To all ivhom it may concern.'

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

ROBERT L. MONROE, OFSIOUX CITY, IOWA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN W.

IMONBOE, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

ELECTBICALLY-OPERATED BALANCING MECHANISM FOR AEROPLANES.

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. MONROE, a citizen of the United States,rresiding at Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Operated lv3alancing Mechanism for Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes, and more particularly to means for controlling the operation of the auxiliary balancing planes located at the lateral ends of the-main plane or planes.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of balancing apparatus, so as to be reliable and eiiicient in use, Ofcomparatively simpleand inexpensive construction, and so designed as to be automatic in operation and at thesame` time capable of manual control.

Another object of the invention is the employment of an automatic 'circuit make and break deviceV designed on the principle of a spirit. level so that the tilting of the aeroplane will close one of two circuits, including electrical auxiliary plane-operating means, so that when one side of the airship drops, the auxiliary plane at such side will be thrown to a position to restore 1 equilibrium. l i With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set -forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention,

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of the,

balancing apparatus when the airship is in equilibrium. Fig. 2 is a plan view.' Fig. 3 is a detail view of the circuit make and break device when in tilted position to throw one of the auxiliary planes into operation. Fig. 4is a detail sectional viewtaken on line 1 -4, Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters are employed to de ignate corresponding parts throughout the Vews. 3

' Referring to the drawings, A designates Specication of Letters Patent. i Patented Dec. 17,1912.v Application led January 25, 1911. Serial No. 604,633. l

the circuit-closing or make and break device which is located at the center of the airship and consists of a V-shaped 'tube 1 which lis disposed in a vertical plane and has its length extending longitudinally of the main plane or planes of the airs'hip so.that the tube will tilt with the latter. This tubeis clamped between two blocks 2 that 'have their meeting faces provided with grooves or Aseats 3 for receiving the elbow portion of the tube' and these blocks areA fastenedtogether by bolts 4. On theholdei` V.formed by these blocks is a lug 5 which ts into the recess 6 of a base support 7 that is rigidly fastened on the frame .of the airship, the

tube holder and base being fastened to.v

gether by a horizontally-disposed pintle 8 that has its axis extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the main plane or parallel with the direction of travel. The g ends of the tube l terminate in upstanding arms that are fitted with plugs or spurs 9, and passing through each plug is a ,screw 10 that has a platinum contact point 11 at its lower end which is adapted to be'immersed in a current-conducting liquid 12 in the tube when the latter is tilted with the main plane or planes or tilted manually by the operator. The liquid in the tube is connected by a platinum wire or the like13 to a binding post 14 on the tube holder, the wire extending through the holder and into the tube. This 'binding post 14 is connected by a wire 15 with one terminal of a source of current, such as a battery 16. The other terminal of the battery is connected by wires 17r and 17l with solenoids 18r and 181, which operate the vauxiliary balancing lanes. Connected with the respective solenoids are wires 19r and 19l that lead to the screws or binding posts 10 at the right and left hand ends of the level-v ing tube 1. The quantity ofg liquid in the tubeis such that when the latter is in balanced position, the contact points 11 will be out of currentconducting relation with the liquid, but as soon as the tube is tilted in one direction or the other, the liquid will engage the contact 11 at the lower end of the tube and close the circuit of one of `the solenoids, and thereby bring into play the proper aux iliary balancing 'plane to restore e uilibrium of the airship. A pressure-equahzing pipe 20 extends from one plug 9 to the other -so that air can pass back and forth between the ends of the balancing tube.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for operating the auxiliary planes ofthe airship. In the present instance, each solenoid has a core 21 which moves vertically and has a stem 22 sliding in a guide 23 fastened to the top of the solenoid. Connected with each core is a lever 24 that has a segmental gear 25 meshing with the pinion 26. This pinion turns a shaft 26a in gear with a shaft 27 that extends outwardly to the ends of the airship and carries an auxiliary plane 28 shown in edge view, Fig. 1. lVhen the solenoid is drawn downwardly, the shaft 27 turns in a direction to throw the auxiliary plane thereon to the dotted line position with the result that-the air currents operating on the tilted auxiliary plane will change the position of the airship and restore equilibrium.

In order to manually control the auxiliary planes for turning to the right or left, the tube 2 is provided with an arm 29 that has its outer extremity connected by a link 30 with a bell crank lever 31. This lever is connected by a rod 32 with a controlling lever 33, which is normally held in a central position with controlling lever being latch 35 that engages a fixed sector 36. When the controlling lever is in the position shown, the leveling tube l is horizontal' so that the circuit of neither solenoid will be closed, this being the position of the parts when the airship is perfectly balanced and sailing on an even keel. Should the airship tilt to the right, the liquid in the tube 1 would shift so that a circuit would be closed consisting of the battery 16, wire 17T, solenoid 18T, wire 19, contact point 10, liquid 12, binding post 13, and Wire 15. The core of the right solenoid would be .drawn downwardly, and as the result, the auxiliary plane at the right of the machine would be tilted downwardly tothe dotted line position, Fig.- 1. The effect would be to restore the airship to equilibrium and cause the liquid 12 in the tube 1 to recede from the contact 11, thereby openingl the circuit and allowing the solenoid core to return to normal position. The parts may be reprovided with a turned to normal position by any suitable engagement with the left means, such as a spring 37 on each rod 23 of the solenoid core. In case it is desired to turn to the right, the operator throws the controlling lever 13 to the right to cause the left hand end of the leveling tube 1-` to be lowered for bringing the liquid therein into contact 1 1. The circuit of the solenoid 18l to the left of the' center of the machine will. new be energized, with the result that the left hand auxiliary plane will be swung downwardly.

respect to a scale 34, the

4This raises the left hand end of theairship so that the operator can steer the machine to the right. In steering to the left, obviously, the controlling to the left to bring into operation the right hand auxiliary plane.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I vnow consider -to be the best embodi ment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, is

1. In an aeroplane, the combination of auxiliary balancing planes, solenoids provided with spring retracted cores, gearing between the cores of the solenoids and the respective balancing planes, electrical circuits in which saidsolenoids are included, a make and break device for closing the circuit of either solenoid, said device comprising a V-shaped liquid containing tube having its ends higher than the middle or vertex portion of the tube, means pivotally supporting said tube at its middle or vertex portion, and contacts the ends of the tube forming part of said circuits and arranged to be immersed in the liquid thereiny when the tube tilts.

' 2. In an aeroplane, the combination of auxiliary balancing planes, solenoids provided with spring retracted cores, gearing between the cores of the solenoids and the respective balancing'planes, electric circuits in which said solenoids are included, a make and break device for closing the circuit of either solenoid, said device comprising a V- shaped liquid containing tube having its ends higher than the middle or vertex portion of the tube, contacts in the ends of the tube forming part of said circuits and arranged to be immersed in the liquid therein when *the tube tilts, means pivotally supporting lcver 23 is turned cuit of either solenoid, said device comprising a V-shaped liquid containing tube having its tex portion of the tube, contacts in the ends ends higher than the middle or verof the tube forming part of said circuits and In 'testimon whereof I aix my signature arrarlllged 0 be kinnilersed in the liquid therein presence o two witnesses. in w en t e tu e t' ts, an e ua izin connection between the ends ofgshe tub, means ROBERT L MONROE 5 pivotally supporting said tube at its middle Witnesses:

or Vertex portion, and means for manually B. P. VAN SICKLE, tilting said tube. ALBERT BERGEsoN. 

